This festival is organized as a celebration of the pagan holiday of the same name. It takes place near Nasavrky (Pardubice region) in the Czech Republic at a Celtic oppidum named The Land of Celts (Země keltů) always at the end of July. I was there for the first time as a volunteer four years ago, when it was, for the first time, not held in the city but directly on the Celtic oppidum, under the open sky and I really liked it. That year was full of work, because the festival was at a new place and everything was just coming together. But people were great and we had enough mead. This year, in 2020, we were at the festival with our stand for the second time. Lughnasad is a Gaelic holiday of the beginning of the harvest associated with the god Lugh, celebrated at the turn of July and beginning of August. It is first mentioned in the earliest Irish literature and has pagan origins. The name is composed of the name Lugh and the suffix -nasad which means "ceremonial or memorial gathering". Lughnasad is one of the four Gaelic seasonal festivals, along with Samhain, Imbolc and Beltane. The place where the festival is held has a very pleasant atmosphere. The main part of the area is the Celtic oppidum with houses, farm animals and also Celts who live as it was usual. Various other events take place in the oppidum during the year, the list of which can be found on their websites: www.zemekeltu.cz/en/ . During the Lughnasad festival, the whole area is filled with celts, historical tents, demonstrations of period crafts and the Romans in the war camp. In the next part of the complex there is a restaurant (which serves as a background for the organizers during the festival), in front of it there is a grassy area where are stands with handmade goods, food and many more. The program includes rituals, teaching various skills, such as dances and production workshops - such as shaman drums. Furthermore, there are lectures on topics from history, film screenings, legionnaires' camp, Celts demonstrating everyday life, fighting and crafts, theater performances and concerts. In 2020, speedcarving was also part of it, where carvers created sculptures out of wood in one hour and they were auctioned off for charity purposes. There is a funny story connected to speedcarving, as we came to a wooden statue of an owl about a meter and a half high. Sven went to look and take a few photos of the carvers just before the auction began. A moment later, I heard the moderator say, "Ah, the gentleman from the leather stand is bidding!" Sven returned a moment later with a few other people who helped him bring the owl to the stall. It was our guardian animal for the rest of the festival. The annual 15th year will be held in 2021 and it will certainly be a great opportunity to visit the festival. Volunteering: This festival is largely based on enthusiasts who help with the preparations and also during the festival, and some also help throughout the year. I visited this event for the first time as a volunteer and I really liked it. That year I was there from Thursday to Sunday afternoon. I got a ride with two other volunteers and immediately after arriving at the place, we joined the landscaping in light rain. We drove clay, rake grass and built tents. In the evening, all the volunteers went by candlelight to the oppidum and the main organizers prepared a short dedication. It was very well made and mystical. We also received organizing T-shirts that kept us company until Sunday. This year it's been 4 years since my first visit and I still see most of the people I met there as volunteers. I take that as a good sign. Photo by: Jaromír Zajíček - https://www.zonerama.com/fotozajda/195
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Curia Vítkov is a modern reconstruction of a Czech aristocratic residence from the 12th century. The Romanesque courtyard, which was often built on a hill, allowed the lords to supervise the land ownership. Taxes, salaries, but also, for example, craftsmen - carpenters, blacksmiths and others - were concentrated in one place.
We would like to tell you about one of our favourite LARP event that takes place in the Czech Republic.
It is a fantasy festival and battle inspired by the Lord of the Rings. Every year about 600 people participate in this fantastic event full of tournaments, competitions, concerts, battles and many more. |
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We are Sven and Lumi. Welcome to our blog full of fantasy events, creating, travelling and beer. Categories |